Oops...

Today's guest post got published below under October 8. Check it out!

Pomegranate White Tea Gummy Pandas

Mr. "I Don't Like Candy" Goodbar ate this entire package of Pomegranate White Tea Gummy Pandas that Bazooka Betsy gave me for my birthday. I went to get one off the desk the other day and realized the package was empty. Nice guy.

The few I did get to taste were mucho yummy. They were really juicy, very satisfying. I generally shy away from green tea and white tea things because they tend to make my stomach hurt, but I'd definitely recommend these. Although I have to say, "Panda" is a bit of a stretch. These are gummy bears, plain and simple.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies!

I made these Iced Pumpkin Cookies for Mr. Goodbar's office potluck. He said they must've been good because they were all gone. I reminded him that *any* free food will disappear in an office.

Wish List

Someday, when I make it big, I'm going to hire Amy Atlas to do a party for me. Check out these incredible candy tables she makes here. My favorites are picture 11-- the Halloween table and picture 22-- the candy store table. Now that's a party!

Dark Chocolate Cigars!

Hey Yumsters, if any of you are going to Italy any time soon, check these out: dark chocolate cigars. I'm not much for puffing on a stogie (they make me woozy), but this I'd try!

The Most Important Vote of the Year

So you've all voted for the Sugar Baby's costume and Candy Corn won by a landslide. This, of course, was my favorite, too. I've pondered how I could possibly make a candy corn costume (pillow case? foam board?), but I haven't been able to come up with anything that sounds do-able. The Baroness found this perfect costume which I love, but as we're watching our retirement savings and the Sugar Baby's college fund plunge deep into the depths of the netherworld, I'm hesitant to spend $30 on a costume. (Or am I just being cheap?) So, dear Yumsters, how can I create the perfect candy corn costume using household goods? (If it helps, I have lots of egg cartons, empty cereal boxes, applesauce containers and yogurt cups stacked up in the "craft" box.)

Candy Yum Yum Goes Down Under!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Candy Yum Yum is making waves in Australia! Check it out here.

Economic Crisis in Candyland? Visit the Vending Machine

Concerned about the economic state we're in? I was doing okay until I got the following missives from Mr. Goodbar. Of course, I'm not sure which to be more concerned about: 1) The fact that he's neurotic focused enough to count the M&Ms in the package; 2) the fact that he seems to have spare time on his hands uses his valuable lunch break to count M&Ms; or 3) the fact that he just gave away a brilliant idea for coconut M&Ms. In any case, here's Mr. Goodbar's analysis of the state of the M&M:

So I counted today: In a packet of almond M&M's, which cost $0.94, I get 14 candies. If, on the other hand, I use the $0.25 peanut M&M dispenser (for which all profits got to charity), I get 13 candies. I know we're not comparing apples to apples here (or almonds to almonds, as it were), but it still seems to be quite the price differential.
Also, ever notice that in every other packet (or handful) of peanut M&Ms, there is always one that tastes different (and rather bad)? I've switched to almond because these 'off' ones gross me out.
Don't say I never wrote you anything candy-related.

UPDATE:

I got an $.80 bag of peanut M&Ms, and got 22 candies. No 'off' one this time.
So to recap:
Almond M&Ms in the packet from a store: $0.94 / 14 M's = $0.067 per M

Peanut M&Ms from vending machine: $0.80 / 22 M's = $0.036 per M

Peanut M&Ms from charity machine: $0.25 / 13 M's = $0.019 per M
Each is roughly double the price of the next cheapest, with prices rising exponentially. If they made coconut M&Ms - coating the entire coconut in chocolate and a candy shell - I figure you'd be paying about $1,000 per candy.
The charity machine is by far the best value, even with the occasional 'off' one. And think of the joy the Shriners will bring to the suffering children with their clown cars and their fez's because of my sweet tooth.
AH! The Peanut M&M packet as a warning: May contain Almonds - but *NOTHING* about peanuts. I'm so confused...
______________________________________________

And the Dove Chocolate Goes To ...

the first 20 people who responded. They are:

1.Coleen M.
2. Jill H
3. Kristina L.
4. Jenny K
5.Leah K
6. Linda B
7. Sue K
8. Michael C.
9. Jennifer D
10. Alex S
11. Kathy M
12. Chris H
13. Kristina S
14. Robin E
15. Jessica H
16. Chelsea D
17. Rosa L
18. Laura B
19. Jeannette M
20. Kris B

(I left off your last names so your family and friends won't know it's you-- and then you won't have to share!)

A big thank you to everyone who entered. I wish I had enough to send to everyone. But check back soon-- more candy giveaways to come!

(*To the winners: you'll be contacted soon by the Dove people to get your mailing address.)

I'm sitting here, trying to do some *real* work, flipping through my notebook when I find this little haiku that I (apparently) wrote in the midst of the recent bout with the plague:

The two best flavors

Watermelon, green apple

Jolly Rancher bliss

The thing is: 1) I haven't had a Jolly Rancher in years and 2) I didn't have a fever, yet I don't remember writing this. What's up with that?!

Something Sweet for Everyone

Happy Hour for the Sugar Baby: chocolate pudding












Happy Hour for the Sugar Mama:
Dr. McGillicuddy's Lemon Drop Schnapps! Mmmm! Tastes just like a lemon drop candy!

Assorted Brach's goodies

Alexandra gave me a grab bag o' goodies for my birthday. The girl has a keen eye for stuff that I haven't been able to find! First, the Brach's Soda Poppers. These are hard candies with a chewy center (kind of like those little candies that look like strawberries). The first one I tried was Dr Pepper, because that's the only soda I really like. At first I was impressed; it seemed to have that same complex flavor profile that the actual soda has. But then after about 30 seconds, something went terribly wrong. It got all weirdly kind of root beer-like. I ended up spitting it out.

The Orange Crush was much better. It had that orange POW! of the soda. I haven't tried the other two yet: 7Up and A&W rootbeer.

The other goodie was Brach's Chocolate Caramel Candy Corn. I opened the bag and took a whiff. It was kind of strange. Not at all chocolatey or caramelly. More chemical. Then I tried one. It was ... icky. I don't know if I was just expecting it to be more chocolatey or what, but these definitely won't be replacing the traditional orange, yellow and white ones. Or even Indian corn.

No-Nuts is here for the weekend and she tried both candies. She definitely got a caramel taste out of the candy corn, and she liked the Soda Poppers. So there you have it.

Save the Snifters!

Breaking news! The New Zealand Cupcake Queen has contacted me with this important information:

Some of our beloved lollies (that's candy to us in the U.S.) are being axed and I'm gutted. Sparkles, Snifters and Tangy Fruits lollies are to be no longer produced. Its a sad sad day for the NZ candy lovers. These lollies have been around since I was a kid!You can read all about it in this news article: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4697302a1870.html

There is so much outrage someone has set up a Save the Snifter website: http://www.savethesnifter.co.nz/

I think I need a cup of tea and a lie down after all this drama!!

***

New Zealand Cupcake Queen, please accept our condolences. I can only imagine how we'd feel if they decided to discontinue some of our childhood favorites, like Smarties or Necco Wafers or fireballs. Please take care of yourself.

Surprise!

You know what's exciting? When you open the door and find the UPS person standing there holding a box for you. You know what's even better? The fact that the box doesn't contain sustainable soy-based hemp exercise hand weights or some other craziness from a company that wants you to write about them something for work.
So look what I received the other day from the von Schokolats: a big delicious yummy creamy crunchy box of chocolates from Li-Lac Chocolates. Woo hoo! This is the ultimate assortment: milk, dark, caramel, nuts, fudge. And it was wrapped really pretty-like, with lilac paper and a purple ribbon. Oooohlala! I considered hiding them, which I should've done, because as soon as Mr. Goodbar got home that night, he said, "Ho ho! What have we here?" As you can see, this picture was taken after we'd already sampled a couple of pieces. Yum! Thanks von Schokolats!

Countdown to Halloween!

It's October 1, which means:

1. It's my anniversary. Oops.
2. Three days 'til my 38th birthday. (Oh yeah, I'm getting there.)
3. 21 days until Wombat Day.
4. 30 days until Halloween!

There's so much to do. I've got to figure out what to dress the Sugar Baby as for Halloween. I've got to plan the Wombat Day festivities. (I really wanted to do an all-out bash this year, but I don't think it's going to happen.) And of course I've got to get out into the field and report back about all the Halloween goodies that are out there.

But you have a duty, too, dear Yumsters! What are your plans for Wombat Day? Tell me what you're dressing as for Halloween. What will you be giving out to trick-or-treaters? And are you the type to buy Halloween candy in advance and then eat it all yourself? Let me know what's going on in your world this October!